Some Family Pics

Kurt's sister, DonnaLee, with husband Jim and youngest daughter, Beth, a student at Bloomsburg. (Two older daughters not present)
Kurt's brother, Chris, with wife Fiona and their two children, Kieran and Conor (Kieran has the glasses)
Kurt's parents, Velma and Elmer

I'm missing a pic of Kurt's oldest brother and his wife...hopefully it'll be coming soon....HINT, HINT!!

The Month of May is Almost Over!

Whew! What a month! Alyssa said to me at the beginning of the month that this was probably one of the hardest months in her academic career. I asked her what she meant? She commented that in addition to SAT's, she had a term paper due, her graduation project due, plus her AP Government final to take. I am here to report that we managed to get through it all, but I will tell you I am sure I have a few more gray hairs!! She is a professional procrastinator...that book report that she did earlier this year on the book The Procrastinator's Handbook must have gone in one ear and right out the other...LOL!!

She was putting her term paper together the night before it was due, and only began choreographing her dance for her graduation project the weekend before. The three page paper that needed to be prepared for the graduation project got done the night before the graduation projects were due at school. You may not realize this, but they have known about these graduation projects since 9th grade. For those of you who don't know....Alyssa is in 11th grade!!

She drives me nuts! The sad (or good, depending on how you look at it...LOL!) part is that she always manages to pull it all off and gets exceptional grades! I keep telling her she's gonna be in for a rude awakening come college time!!

Shhhh, Don't Tell

We got a letter from the Middle School earlier this week that Adam will be recognized with an award at his 8th grade graduation in two weeks. I'd like to keep it a surprise, but I think he will eventually find out because those receiving awards sit down on the gymnasium floor as opposed to up in the bleachers. I think I'll let him find out on his own!

Now I just need to work on him getting a hair cut....wish me luck!! (It's about two inches longer than this picture!!)

A Couple of Pics

Macy Moose relaxing at the kitchen sink!


Our newest additions...4 baby robins (only two in pic). Kurt doesn't think they look too healthy, however.

A Scary Day!

Most of you who read this blog are already aware of the events at the Northampton Area Senior High School this morning. A senior boy managed to sneak a rifle into the building this morning in a guitar case. He was found sitting in one of the stair wells with the rifle on his lap and was smoking a cigarette. One of the teachers smelled smoke and looked in the stairwell and found him sitting there. It apparently took police about forty minutes until they managed to get the gun away from him.

The school was immediately put into a lockdown. Initially the students were told it was a drill, but soon they were told that there was a definite situation and they needed to evacuate the building and proceed to the football field.

I learned of this situation this morning as I got to the elementary school that I volunteer at on Thursdays. I was walking down the hallway and heard one of the first grade teachers say that the high school was in lockdown. I don't know this teacher very well, but asked her anyway what was going on. At that point, they had heard that a student had taken an asst. principal hostage and was holding that person at gunpoint. That eventually turned out to be not true.

You can't imagine the thoughts that ran through my mind at that moment. It is a horrible feeling not knowing what is going on and whether your child is safe and secure.

Thank goodness for cell phones! (And I think we'll be adding text messaging soon...LOL!!) The teachers where Alyssa was, initially told the kids if they saw any of them using cell phones they would confiscate them. But by the time they got out to the football field, everyone was using them. It was sooo good to hear Alyssa's voice! It was wonderful being able to keep in touch from that point on.

I guess I have mixed feelings about the kids using their cell phones. I was thrilled to be able to hear from Alyssa and know that she was all right. But I also wonder how many rumors traveled around via cell phones. And believe me I heard quite a few of them!

The other issue that concerned me was that the mother of a friend of a friend signed Alyssa out so she could come home. I have heard this girl's name mentioned, but I have never met her or her mother. I was in touch with Alyssa and knew this was the plan and I was OK with her coming home and appreciated the fact that this mother was willing to sign her out, BUT.....

Each year at the beginning of school, we fill out these emergency pick-up forms which lists those people we would allow to pick up our kids. Those are the only people who are supposed to be able to sign them out. I am concerned that should this situation have turned out much worse and kids needed to be accounted for, or a child needed to be located, there may have been problems with allowing anyone to sign a child out.

Suppose Alyssa hadn't been in touch with me and this woman had signed her out, and Alyssa had gone home. Then I decide to go pick her up and she is no where to be found. It would have been very tense until it would have been figured out where she was.

As it was, this mom signed Alyssa's friend out and Alyssa was going to take her home. As they were walking in the parking lot, they noticed her dad walking across the parking lot. Had Alyssa and her friend left a little bit earlier, they might not have seen her dad. He was coming to sign her out. Can you imagine his concern when he couldn't find his daughter? (And in this situation, she had forgotten her cell phone at home and didn't have her dad's cell phone number memorized, so she hadn't talked to him to alert him of her plans...) Fortunately, they saw each other in the parking lot.

I realize that it must have been very difficult to keep 2000 students contained and then released in an orderly fashion and I'm sure they tried their best, but I hope that they review the events that transpired and their action plans and learn from their mistakes.

I must also say that I heard varying stories...my friend's daughter was NOT allowed to be signed out by anyone but a parent. Others were told if they had their own car they were allowed to leave. So it may have depended on which exit you were trying to leave from! But that would be a perfect example that there needs to be consistency and uniformity.

Looking back on it today, I am thankful that there was a peaceful resolution to this crisis and that no one was hurt. I would ask that we keep this boy's family in our prayers at this difficult time for them. And remember to tell your kids you love them!!

GO Taylor!!

I haven't ever done this before, but last night I voted for Taylor five times! I'm addicted to Idol this season! Guess we'll see who wins tonite....

Simon predicted that he will win, but as we know it is America that votes, not Simon!!

GO TAYLOR!!

On Birthdays...

I had the pleasure of celebrating my 47th birthday on Saturday the 20th. It's funny as you get older, the less you want to celebrate it! My day started out by cleaning the toilet and my closet (hot time, huh?!?!?), but later in the day we had a pleasant unexpected surprise from Kurt's brother and his wife (Lyle and Miget). In the evening, Kurt, Alyssa and I went to Steak and Ale for dinner and had a lovely time. Adam was gone for the weekend; he was camping at Kutztown University with scouts. As I opened my birthday card from Kurt, a little clipping from a flyer fell out with a picture of a Dell computer on it! I have been having mega issues with my laptop, so a new computer will be wonderful!!

Last year my mom gave me a booklet of things that happened in 1959, which was the year I was born. I thought I would share a few interesting tidbits:

Sleeping Beauty was released on January 29, 1959

The average cost of a house was $14,239

The average cost of a gallon of gasoline was 31 cents per gallon

A quart of milk, delivered to homes, cost 25 cents

American smokers were paying an average of 24 cents per pack of cigarettes

Food shoppers across America could go to their local supermarkets and purchase one dozen large grade A eggs for 53 cents

The United States Postal Service was charging 4 cents to mail a letter anywhere within the U.S.

President Eisenhower proclaimed Hawaii as the 50th state on August 21, 1959. He also introduced a new 50 star American flag which would become official on July 4, 1960

CBS premiered two new comedies, The Many Lives of Dobie Gillis on September 29 and Dennis the Menace on October 4, 1959

Marie Osmond was born on October 4, 1959

The Broadway musical based on the early life of the singing Von Trapp Family, The Sound of Music, opened in NYC on November 16, 1959

A U.S. Commerce Department report indicates that the average U.S. family income in 1959 was $6,520

Time Magazine chose Dwight D. Eisenhower as Man of the Year

By Popular Request....Fun Facts about Michele

*I was adopted by my dad at the age of 6. He is Puerto Rican. I told the judge at the adoption hearing that I was now a Pennsylvania Dutch spic!
*I have a step-brother (Diggy) who is my age and a step-sister (Elyxvette...also known as Betty) who is three years older than me. I have not seen them in over ten years. Don't ask where the names came from please!!
*I prepared and gave a sermon once in church for youth group when I was growing up.
*I want Taylor to win American Idol!
*I have been volunteering at my kids' old elementary school for eleven years and have loved every minute of it!
*My favorite soda is Diet Pepsi Twist, although I'm renewing my friendship with Fresca!
*My favorite books are ones that have a medical suspense twist to them.
*I figured out how to change colors and fonts on my posts (all on my own, Jamie...LOL!)
*I just LOVE Richard Gere...he's gorgeous...there's that gray hair thing again!
*My starting salary at Allentown Hospital when I graduated in 1980, was $5.92/hour!
*My dream vacation would be to go to Australia.
*I was the official book keeper for the girls Varsity basketball team when I was in high school. I graduated from Williams Valley High School.
*When I worked nights at Allentown Hospital, a group of us used to go to Stahley's Bar in the morning after work to have pizza omelets and drink beer!
*I have worked in general ICU, the open heart unit, home care, dialysis and most recently an office, in my 26 year nursing career.
*We went to Acapulco, Mexico for our honeymoon.
*I have lived in Nazareth, Wind Gap, Tremont, Tower City, Allentown, Emmaus, Lehighton and my current abode.
*I bought a brand new mobile home in August of 1983, started dating Kurt in December of 1983, got engaged in June of 1984 and married in October of 1984. I lived in my beautiful brand new mobile home for less than a year...it took us almost three years to sell it...LOL!!!
*My favorite Disney movie is Lion King.
*I can't STAND country music!
*Never open your car door when you are in the car wash.....
*I knew I wanted to be a nurse since I was a little girl.
*My favorite subject in school was Health.
*I love vacationing in the New England states. We used to vacation in Maine yearly when I was growing up.
*I just passed my CPR renewal today...good for another two years...yippee!!
*My brain is fried...can't think of anything else right now....LOL!!
*Good-bye!

Pics from the weekend...

We spent quite a bit of time in Fogelsville this weekend. Our nephew and his wife are here from Florida for the weekend and on Saturday, we all got together to have a small baby shower for them, as Lauren is pregnant and due in August. Then today we helped Conor celebrate his 7th birthday. In between all that, we went to Alyssa's orchestra concert!


From left to right: Kieran, Conor and Tate

Riley

Alyssa and Lydia

Alyssa and Halle

Pete and Lauren (Our nephew and wife visiting from Florida)

Lauren (She's gonna have a baby!!)

Singing Happy Birthday to Conor

Orchestra Concert

Today was the Sr. High Orchestra Concert at school. This is the orchestra director's first year at the school; he's barely out of school himself. The first concert of the year, at Christmas, wasn't the greatest, but today's was much better. I think he is more comfortable and the kids are more used to following a new person's conducting.



Sarah and Alyssa (sporting their Dorney Park sunburns from Friday...LOL) Sarah plays the violin and Alyssa plays the clarinet.

My Latest Bifocal Assisted Project

You Too Can Post a Comment!

So I know there's people reading my blog...there's gotta be...I have close to 900 hits on it! It's much more fun for me to continue doing this if I get to enjoy people's comments! I'm thinking maybe some of you are afraid that you have to register for something or pay to comment and that's why I only have three faithful commenters (and you know who you are...LOL!!). You don't have to do either of those things. It's really easy.....


Here's the procedure:
1. At the bottom of the entry, click on the link that says 'comments'
2. A new window will come up; post your comment in the box
3. Click on 'other'...you can then add your first name in the box below
4. Type the word verification letters in the box (this is to prevent comment spamming)
5. You can then click on Preview to see what it will look like or just go ahead and click on Login and Publish
6. If you have previewed first, be sure to still click on Login and Publish, or it won't be published onto my blog.
7. It's as easy as that!!

Give it a try!!

Interesting.....

We just changed the TV channel after watching the American Idol results show. We turned on CBS to watch the last half of Criminal Minds. Do you know what they did? They showed a brief recap of the first half hour....as if there were people just joining the show! Now who might that have been?!?!?!!? Just half of America watching Idol!!

Predictions

Ok folks, we're getting down to the end. Who's got your vote for the next American Idol??

Is it gonna be Kat, Taylor or Elliot? I think they're all great, but obviously only one is going to come out on top. I like Taylor best (maybe it's the gray hair...LOL!!), and now that Chris is out of the picture, he may just do it.

What's your prediction??

P.S.- I was doing this entry during the results show and had already decided that Kat was going to be eliminated! I had the entry done and was just waiting to hit the publish button. Wasn't I shocked (weren't we all???) that Chris was voted off. My next sentence had me saying that I like Taylor best, but was afraid that Chris was going to win....WRONG! The only good thing I see with Chris being eliminated is that this may give Taylor a better chance of winning now.

In Memory of Mallory

I never even met Mallory, but I feel like I have known her forever. Mallory was 18 and a month away from high school graduation when she was killed last week in a car accident. She was the daughter of a nursing school classmate. I haven't been able to put it out of my mind since it happened. I can't even begin to imagine what her parents are feeling right now...the excitement of a beautiful daughter soon to graduate and begin college in a few months...shattered in an instant. I think I would be catatonic right now. Today instead of planning a graduation party, they had her funeral.

I received the following poem via email several months ago; it really left an impact on me; I thought it was appropriate:


If tomorrow starts without me,
And I'm not there to see,
If the sun should rise and find your eyes
all filled with tears for me;
I wish so much you wouldn't cry the way you did today,
While thinking of the many things, We didn't get to say.

I know how much you love me,
As much as I love you,
And each time that you think of me,
I know you'll miss me too;
But when tomorrow starts without me,
Please try to understand,
That an angel came and called my name,
And took me by the hand,
And said my place was ready,
In heaven far above,
And that I'd have to leave behind all those I dearly love.

But as I turned to walk away,
A tear fell from my eye, For all my life,
I'd always thought, I didn't want to die.
I had so much to live for,
So much left yet to do,
It seemed almost impossible,
That I was leaving you.

I thought of all the yesterdays,
The good ones and the bad,
I thought of all the fun we shared,
And all the fun we had.

If I could relive yesterday,
Just even for a while,
I'd say good-bye and kiss you and maybe see you smile.
But then I fully realized,
That this could never be,
For emptiness and memories, would take the place of me.

And when I thought of worldly things,
I might miss come tomorrow,
I thought of you, and when I did,
My heart was filled with sorrow.

But when I walked through heaven's gates,
I felt so much at home.
When God looked down and smiled at me,
From His great golden throne,
He said, "This is eternity, And all I've promised you.
Today your life on earth is past, but here life starts anew.
I promise no tomorrow, But today will always last,
and since each day's the same way,
There's no longing for the past.

You have been so faithful,
So trusting and so true.
Though there were times you did some things,
You knew you shouldn't do.
But you have been forgiven, and now at last you're free.
So won't you come and take my hand, and share my life with me?"

So when tomorrow starts without me, don't think we're far apart,
For every time you think of me, I'm right here, in your heart.

A Timely Link

I thought this link was timely given the current cost of gas. Just put the zip code you live in or work in, and a page comes up with most gas stations in that zip code area and their current price for a gallon of gas.

Thanks Sue for the link!